Man gets at least 8 years in prison for double fatal motorcycle crash in Clinton Township

A 46-year-old man was ordered to spend eight years to 15 years in prison for the traffic death of a couple riding a motorcycle in Clinton Township.

Jeffery Jones was sentenced Wednesday in Macomb County Circuit Court following an emotionally wrenching court hearing that included statements from several loved ones of the victims, as well as from a third person who was critically injured.

Killed in the Aug. 17 crash on Southbound Gratiot near Metropolitan Parkway were Kelly Potasnik, 47, and her live-in boyfriend, Thomas Taylor, 58, of Roseville. A third man who was critically asked that he remain unidentified.

"Jeffery Jones has destroyed us, ripped our hearts out," said Stacy Benoit of Warren, who said she and her husband were best friends of the dead couple, in a letter read by victim advocate Johanna Delp. "To me he is a murderer. Fifteen years doesn't fit."

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Benoit was one of about two dozen friends and family of the couple who attended the hearing. Potasnik was the youngest of nine siblings.

Glenn Owens, Potasnick's brother in law, spoke on behalf of the family.

"The event that took place that night has changed the family forever," he said, describing the "heartache, pain and sadness" it produced.

Jones was drunk and driving 106 mph in an SUV about 11 p.m. when he struck three motorcycles from behind. Potasnik and Taylor, who were on a Harley Davidson, were thrown into another vehicle. A motorcycle driven by the injured man crashed, and a third motorcycle driven by the injured man's wife remained upright before a minor crash.

Jones pleaded no contest in March to two counts of drunken driving causing death and one count of drunken driving causing serious injury. He agreed to plead to the charges in a deal with Judge Mary Chrzanowski if she would sentence him at the low end of the sentencing guideline range, which was 50 to 100 months.

But Chrzanowski wouldn't go along with it and agreed with the probation department's recommendation of 100 months. That decision allowed Jones to withdraw his plea. But after court recessed for a short time for Jones to consult with his attorney, Khalid Sheikh, he decided to maintain his plea.

A no contest plea is treated as a guilty plea in criminal court but cannot be used as an admission of guilt in civil court.

Jones kept his head bowed during the entire proceedings that lasted about one hour. He sobbed when he tried to read his written statement so Sheikh read it for him.

"I understand any apology I offer would be inadequate," Jones said in the statement. "I pray God grants you peace."

Potasnik's sister, Vicki Owens, said she was "disgusted" by Jones' comments.

"I'm sure he feels sad, but ... it didn't do anything for me," she said.

Her husband, Glenn, said the details of the crash sickened the family.

"To find out that Kelly and Tom were actually driving down Gratiot and were hit from behind with such force that the bike was thrown through the air and into a car in front of them is unimaginable," Owens said.

On the night of the incident, Jones was drinking alcohol and playing cards at a friend's home in Mount Clemens and says he was called by his girlfriend to drop off his car so his two young children could be picked up at his home near Mount Clemens, Sheikh said.

The victims had just left Gibraltar Trade Center in north Mount Clemens and were heading toward home.

Potasnik's nickname was "Kell Bell," and she was known for her free spirit and love of crafts and craft-making, family members said. She worked in retail because she loved to interact with people, they said.

Taylor and Potasnik were making plans to enjoy Taylor's retirement from the carpenters union in four years.

"They were looking forward to traveling, fishing, riding their motorcycle and spending time with their families," Benoit said.